Substrate incorporating non-woven elements

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of first filamentary members oriented in a first direction. The first filamentary members are arranged in spaced apart relation to one another. The substrate also includes a plurality of second filamentary members oriented in a second direction transverse to the first direction. The second filamentary members are spaced apart from one another. The second filamentary members are interlaced with the first filamentary members to define an open mesh. The substrate also includes a plurality of elongated strips of non-woven material oriented in the first direction. Each of the non-woven strips is positioned between at least two of the first filamentary members and interlaced with the second filamentary members.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/665,072 for a WOVEN OR KNITTED SUBSTRATEINCORPORATING NON-WOVEN ELEMENTS, filed on Mar. 24, 2005, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to textile substrates which are woven or knitted.

2. Description of Related Art

Elongated items, such as wiring harnesses for example, may endure harshenvironmental conditions in automotive, aerospace and marineapplications. For example, wiring harnesses may be subjected tovibrations during vehicle operation which can cause abrasion ofelectrical insulation and result in short circuits. The harnesses mayalso be exposed to extreme high temperatures due to incident radiantheat, particularly in engine compartments. Furthermore, the harnessesmay be subjected to radio frequency or electromagnetic interference ormay be the source of such interference. Consideration of radio frequencyinterference is of particular concern when the wiring harnesses arecarrying control signals or emit interference which interferes withradio reception.

Various types of substrates are currently in use which act as protectiveshields against the aforementioned environmental threats. Suchsubstrates may be woven or knitted from filamentary members and canprovide a sleeve or lining tailored to a specific environment. Forexample, a woven substrate may serve as a layer for supporting areflective metallic foil to reduce radiant heat transfer to a wiringharness. Similarly, a grounded tubular substrate woven of electricallyconductive filamentary members may be used as a protective sleevesurrounding a harness to prevent radio frequency or electromagneticinterference. Finally, substrates may be used as linings to dampenvibrations and thereby prevent abrasion due to vibration or quiet acomponent which is induced to rattle and produce noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a substrate. The substrate includes a pluralityof first filamentary members oriented in a first direction. The firstfilamentary members are arranged in spaced apart relation to oneanother. The substrate also includes a plurality of second filamentarymembers oriented in a second direction transverse to the firstdirection. The second filamentary members are spaced apart from oneanother. The second filamentary members are interlaced with the firstfilamentary members to define an open mesh. The substrate also includesa plurality of elongated strips of non-woven material oriented in thefirst direction. Each of the non-woven strips is positioned between atleast two of the first filamentary members and interlaced with thesecond filamentary members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciatedwhen considered in connection with the following detailed descriptionand appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a woven substrate according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a detailed sectional view of the substrate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second woven embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third woven embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a perspective view of the firstembodiment of the invention rolled into a sleeve;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fourth woven embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a knitted embodiment of theinvention;

FIGS. 7-9 schematically illustrate types of knits for alternativeembodiments of the invention; and

FIGS. 10-13 show schematic diagrams of additional alternativeembodiments of the invention wherein additional weft insertion elementsare combined with knitted embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a substrate according to theinvention. Substrate 10 is formed from a plurality of first filamentarymembers 12 oriented in a first direction, indicated by arrow 14. For awoven substrate, the direction indicated by arrow 14 corresponds to thewarp direction. Filamentary members 12 are interlaced with a pluralityof second filamentary members 16. Second filamentary members 16 areoriented transversely to the first filamentary members as indicated byarrow 18. In a woven substrate, the direction indicated by arrow 18corresponds to the weft or fill direction. First filamentary members 12are positioned in spaced apart relation relative to one another, as arethe second filamentary members 16, This results in relatively largeinterstices 20 being formed by the interlacing of the first and secondfilamentary members. Weaving is a preferred method for interlacing thefilamentary members, although warp knitting is also feasible.

Substrate 10 also comprises a plurality of elongated non-woven strips22. Strips 22 are oriented in the warp direction 14. Each strip ispositioned between at least two of the first filamentary members 12 andinterlaced with the second filamentary members 16, thereby fixing thestrips within the substrate. Preferably, elongated strips 22 are sizedto substantially fill the interstices 20 formed by the filamentarymembers. Strips 22 may comprise polyester, polypropylene, nylon as wellas fiber glass, elastomeric materials and various foams. The materialmust be flexible so as to be able to be fed through weaving or knittingmachines and not disintegrate during manufacture.

First filamentary members 12 extending in the warp direction arepreferably multi-filament yarns 24 formed of polymer material such aspolyester. Multi-filament yarns, provide excellent bending flexibilityto the substrate about the weft direction 18. If greater stiffness isdesired, however, the first filamentary members may comprisemonofilaments. As shown in detail in FIG. 1A, the substrate 10 may havemultiple yarns or multiple monofilaments 26 extending in the warpdirection between the elongated strips 22. Multiple yarns increase thetensile strength of the substrate and provide a longitudinal structure28 with which the second filamentary members 16 may be interlaced. Thelongitudinal structure 28 locks the second filamentary members 16 inposition and helps maintain their spaced apart relation. This contrastswith a substrate having only single yarns or monofilaments in the warpdirection, which would allow greater freedom of movement of the secondfilamentary members, allowing them to shift out of position and possiblycompromise the integrity of the substrate.

As best shown in FIG. 1A, second filamentary members 16, oriented in theweft direction 18, are preferably monofilaments 30 formed of a polymermaterial such as polyester. Monofilaments are preferred because theyprovide increased stiffness and can be readily biased by heat, chemicalor mechanical means, into a circular shape to form the substrate into atube or sleeve 31 as shown in FIG. 4. The second filamentary members 16may include two or more monofilaments 30 as shown in detail in FIG. 1A.

Substrate 10, in its flat configuration shown in FIG. 1 or in itstubular embodiment shown in FIG. 4, has various practical uses. Forexample, with filamentary members 12 and/or 16 made of polymer yarnssuch as polyester, and the elongated strips 22 comprising polyester ornylon felt, the substrate 10 may be used as a noise suppressing liningwithin a motor vehicle or a protective sleeve which damps vibrations andreduces or prevents vibration induced abrasion to elongated itemsreceived within the sleeve.

Another embodiment 32 of the substrate is shown in FIG. 2. Substrate 32again comprises filamentary members 12 and 16 interlaced to form arelatively open mesh with elongated strips 22 substantially tilling theinterstices 20. However, in this embodiment, the strips 22 are platedwith an electrically conducting material 34 such as carbon, aluminum,silver or gold. Furthermore, the second filamentary members 16 extendingin the weft direction 18 are also electrically conductive. This may beachieved by plating the filamentary members with a conductive materialsuch as copper or aluminum. Electrical continuity in the weft directionmay also be achieved by adding conductive wires 36 alongside thefilamentary members 16. Electrical contact between conductive secondfilamentary members 16 and/or conductive wires 36 and the electricallyconductive elongated strips 22 provides electrical continuity throughoutthe entire substrate 32, allowing the substrate to be used as a shieldto prevent radio frequency or electromagnetic interference to or fromconductors which are surrounded by the substrate. For such a shield tobe effective, however, it must be grounded. To that end, one or moredrain wires 38, extending in the warp direction 14, are interlaced withthe second filamentary members 16. The terminal end 40 of drain wire 38may be attached to ground, or the drain wire may be cut between itsends, the new ends created by the cut also being connectable to groundto effectively ground the entire substrate.

Exemplary substrate 31 in FIG. 4 is similar to the substrate 10 in FIG.1, but the second filamentary members 16 are biased into a circularshape. As a result, the substrate 31 forms a tube or sleeve to provide ashield for surrounding elongated conductors.

In another substrate embodiment 42, shown in 30 FIG. 3, a reflectinglayer 44 is attached to the substrate, thereby forming a radiantreflective material. Reflecting layer 44 may comprise, for example,aluminum or gold foil bonded directly to the elongated strips 22 and thefilamentary members 12 and 16. Alternatively, the reflecting layer maycomprise a flexible membrane, such as polyethylene terephthalate thathas been coated with a thin metallic layer, for example, copper, silveror gold, by vacuum deposited or sputter means as well as by hot plasmaspray techniques.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a substrate 50 that incorporatesnon-woven elements and is formed by warp knitting. Substrate 50 isformed from regions of lengthwise warp knit courses 52 arranged inspaced relation to one another. The non-woven elongated strips 54 areinserted in the warp direction 56 between the regions of courses 52. Twofilamentary weft insertions, 58 and 60, are positioned on opposite sidesof the substrate 50 and are used to capture the elongated strips, theweft insertions being anchored in the warp knit courses 52. One or bothof the filamentary weft insertions 58 and 60 may be polymermonofilaments such as polyester, polypropylene or nylon that can bebiased into a circular shape to conform the substrate into a tubularshape having its lengthwise axis along the warp direction if aprotective sleeve is required.

FIG. 6 illustrates schematically an example of a knitting pattern for asubstrate 62. Warp knit courses 64 are shown formed using a simple warpknit stitch in which weft elements 66 are inserted. FIGS. 7-9schematically illustrate examples of various other types of warp knitstitches that may also be used including the closed tricot stitch 68(FIG. 7), the open tricot stitch 70 (FIG. 8) and the open pilar stitch72 (FIG. 9) Net type structures formed by Raschel knits are alsofeasible, especially for the center courses 64 a (see also FIG. 5).

Additional weft insertion filaments 74 may be incorporated to providefeatures in addition to substrate capture as previously described. Inthe example of FIG. 6, additional warp insertion elements 74 areconfined to the knit courses 64 and are comprised of a high-tack, heatfusible yarn. Such yarns are sold under the trade name “GRILON FusibleBonding Yarn” and supplied by EMS-Griltech of Switzerland. Warpinsertion elements 74 may serve in place of an adhesive layer to bondthe substrate 62 to another substrate, such as a reflective foil, amembrane or a woven textile as desired. Application of heat and pressureto the substrate 62 when overlaid with its mating substrate, as forexample with heated nip rollers, is all that is required to form alaminate without the need for a separate adhesive layer.

Further examples of substrates featuring high tack yarns 74 are shown inFIGS. 10-13. Yarns 74 are not confined to isolated regions of courses inthese examples but span the entire width of the substrates. In FIG. 10,substrate 76 is formed using a closed pilar stitch with weft insertedyarn 74. FIG. 11 illustrates a substrate 78 having an open pilar stitch.Substrates 80 and 82, formed from closed and open tricot stitches withweft insertion yarns 74 are illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively.

Substrates comprising filamentary members woven or warp knitted in acoarse mesh along with non-woven elongated strips provide an effectivestructure having great versatility. The substrate can provide vibrationdamping, by virtue of the excellent energy absorbing characteristics ofthe non-woven strips, the substrate can serve as a heat shieldsupporting a reflective layer, or the substrate can be configuredthrough the use of electrically conductive coatings and materials toprovide a shield against radio frequency and electromagneticinterference. The substrate according to the invention is inexpensive tomanufacture due to its substantial use of non-woven materials in placeof filamentary members, the non-woven material being less expensive thanthe filamentary members. The versatility is further shown in that thesubstrate may be used either in a flat configuration as a lining or maybe readily biased into a closed tubular configuration providing aprotective sleeve for receiving and protecting elongated items.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

1. A substrate comprising: a plurality of first filamentary membersoriented in a first direction and arranged in spaced apart relation toone another; a plurality of second filamentary members oriented in asecond direction transverse to said first direction and arranged inspaced apart relation to one another and interlaced with said pluralityof first filamentary members thereby defining an open mesh with aplurality of interstices; and a plurality of elongated strips ofnon-woven material oriented in said first direction, each of saidnon-woven strips being positioned between two of said plurality of firstfilamentary members and between two of said plurality of secondfilamentary members.
 2. The substrate of claim 1 wherein at least two ofsaid plurality of first filamentary members are position between two ofsaid plurality of elongated strips.
 3. The substrate of claim 1 whereineach of said plurality of second filamentary members includes aplurality of monofilaments.
 4. The substrate of claim 1 wherein saidplurality of second filamentary members are biased into a circular shapesuch that said substrate forms a tube.
 5. The substrate of claim 1wherein said plurality of elongated strips are formed from a materialselected from the group comprising polyester, polypropylene, nylon,nylon felt, fiberglass, elastomers, and foam.
 6. The substrate of claim1 further comprising: an electrically conducting material coated on saidplurality of elongated strips.
 7. The substrate of claim 7 wherein saidelectrically conducting material is further defined as at least one ofcarbon, aluminum, silver and gold.
 8. The substrate of claim 7 whereinsaid plurality of second filamentary members are further defined asbeing electrically conductive.
 9. The substrate of claim 1 furthercomprising: a drain wire extending parallel to said plurality ofelongate strips and interlaced with said plurality of second filamentarymembers.
 10. The substrate of claim 1 further comprising: a reflectivelayer overlying said plurality of first filamentary members and saidplurality of second filamentary members and said plurality of elongatedstrips.
 11. The substrate of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality offirst filamentary members is a warp knit course.
 12. The substrate ofclaim 1 further comprising: insertion elements oriented in the seconddirection and interlaced with at least some of said plurality of firstfilamentary members.
 13. The substrate of claim 12 wherein saidinsertion elements are further defined as being interlaced with lessthan all of said plurality of first filamentary members.
 14. Thesubstrate of claim 12 wherein said insertion elements are furtherdefined as being interlaced with all of said plurality of firstfilamentary members.
 15. The substrate of claim 12 wherein saidinsertion elements are further defined as heat fusible yarns.
 16. Thesubstrate of claim 15 further comprising: a reflective foil adhered tosaid heat fusible yarns.
 17. A method for forming a substrate comprisingthe steps of: first orienting a plurality of first filamentary membersin a first direction arranged in spaced apart relation to one another;second orienting a plurality of second filamentary members in a seconddirection transverse to the first direction arranged in spaced apartrelation to one another and interlaced with the first filamentarymembers thereby defining an open mesh with a plurality of interstices;and third orienting a plurality of elongated strips of non-wovenmaterial in the first direction, each of the non-woven strips beingpositioned between two of the first filamentary members and between twoof the second filamentary members.
 19. The method of claim 18 whereinsaid second orienting step is further defined as: weaving the pluralityof first filamentary members and the plurality of second filamentarymembers with respect to one another.
 20. The method of claim 18 whereinsaid second orienting step is further defined as: warp knitting theplurality of first filamentary members and the plurality of secondfilamentary members with respect to one another.